Brisbane’s Injury Woes and Chaotic Night at Allianz Stadium
Brisbane’s challenges have escalated as Adam Reynolds sustained a severe concussion before the defending premiers failed to pull off a record comeback in a 38-24 loss to the Sydney Roosters. The game at Allianz Stadium was marked by intense chaos, with several key players from both teams suffering injuries.
Mark Nawaqanitawase (ankle), Angus (knee), and Lindsay Collins (concussion) were all sidelined during the match, allowing the Roosters to build an early 30-0 lead. Despite this, Brisbane showed resilience as Reece Walsh made a significant impact, narrowing the gap to 30-24 with just 13 minutes remaining. However, a critical error by Patrick Carrigan and a brain-snap by Kotoni Staggs ended any hopes of a dramatic comeback.
Nawaqanitawase’s injury has dashed his dreams of representing NSW in the State of Origin, as the Roosters anticipate he will require surgery for a syndesmosis rupture. There is some optimism that Crichton’s knee injury may not be as severe, potentially allowing him to play in Origin I on May 28.
Nawaqanitawase’s injury also created an opportunity for Cody Ramsey to make a remarkable return to the NRL after 1337 days out due to a long battle with ulcerative colitis. However, Brisbane’s injury troubles are far from over, as they entered Saturday night in sixth place but already had 10 players sidelined.
Reynolds, who was left groggy after hitting the turf during a second-half tackle, will miss next week’s clash against Manly. Meanwhile, winger Jordan Karapani suffered an ankle injury in a hip-drop tackle from Victor Radley, forcing him off the field. This led to Deine Mariner returning to the game after also sustaining a cork.
For the first 50 minutes of the match, the Roosters’ attack was unstoppable, having scored 205 points across a five-match winning streak. James Tedesco, the former NSW captain, showcased his talent with every touch, strengthening his case for a State of Origin recall. Reece Robson also contributed significantly, leading the Roosters’ first try and scoring their last.
Radley’s return to lock position added another dimension to the Roosters’ attack, with his strong performance setting up Daniel Tupou to join Billy Slater on 190 career tries. Coach Trent Robinson expressed confidence in the team’s attacking strategy, stating, “We’re very clear on how we want to attack, probably as clear as we’ve been in a couple of years.”
Naufahu Whyte and Nat Butcher were instrumental in the front line, while Sam Walker set up one try with a grubber kick and scored another when a Connor Watson kick rebounded off Ezra Mam.
Despite the Roosters’ dominance, the game saw moments of tension. When Hugo Savala missed a try and was tackled by Walsh at 30-0, the Tri-colours faltered. Walsh then scored from dummy-half, and stand-in halfback Tom Duffy put Xavier Willison into space.
Carrigan scored after Ramsey laid a pass for Duffy, and it was 30-24 with 13 minutes left when Walsh drew in two defenders and set up Jordan Riki for a try. At this point, the biggest comeback in premiership history seemed possible, only for a Carrigan error to halt the momentum.
When Staggs was sin-binned for dropping his elbow into Savala’s head after a tackle was complete, the comeback was over, and Staggs now faces potential time on the sideline. Carrigan acknowledged his mistake, saying, “I made an error down in the good ball set, just loose carry turned over the ball and put us on the back foot and released pressure of the game. Kotoni plays aggressive, he wouldn’t have meant to do any harm.”
